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The Oregon Department of State Lands recently hosted public hearings across Oregon to help Vicki Walker, director of DSL, decide whether or not to grant Jordan Cove LNG, the Canadian natural gas company, one of the many permits required for an underground natural gas pipeline. In Canyonville’s meeting at Seven Feathers Casino, on Jan. 9, over 300 concerned people packed the room. DSL listened to passionate community input regarding Jordan Cove’s application for the Removal-Fill permit needed for the company’s proposed pipeline. Subsequently, the permit was denied on Jan. 23. According to an article from the News Review, Circuit court judge Kathleen Johnson reversed theRead More →

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Community members assembled at Stewart Park for the Martin Luther King’s Day river clean-up on Monday January 21. This volunteer-based event started at 10 a.m. Monday morning underneath the Stewart Park pavilion for a 3-hour long community service act in honor of the King.  Maris Wilson with Umpqua Watersheds and Americorp helped coordinate and lead Monday’s event. As Education Outreach Coordinator, she assisted in rallying people together to help clean up the surrounding area between Stewart Park and Gaddis Park with donated supplies from Umpqua Watersheds and DC Co-op. Wilson said, “I feel really gracious that today’s community came on their day off to pickRead More →

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In: Environmental

Despite the colder weather, traveling has managed to remain a favorite tradition during the Autumn and Winter months. With chilling weather conditions there comes a certain level of danger. When traveling during this season, expect the unexpected. According to data conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety and the Auto Insurance Center, wintry weather conditions have killed over 4,000 Americans in car accidents. Mudslides, flooding, falling trees and power lines, black ice, and blizzard conditions can be some of the types of severe weather encountered as the weather becomes freezing. Don’t be one of those caught off guard. Here are some tips on how toRead More →

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In: Environmental

Faster than some might have expected, the time has come to prepare homes for winter storms and freezing nights. For those who are new to living on their own, cheap and doable tasks are key to saving money and home safety during this season. Students are already drowning in responsibilities, so a little preventive care can make life easier in the long run. Here are some useful tips on how to maintain a safe and warm house: 1. Clean The Gutters Cleaning your gutters before winter hits may not be as fun as decorating your home for the upcoming holiday season, but it can definitelyRead More →

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As a college student, finding easy and budget friendly ways to “go green” can seem nearly impossible. DIY projects can be too time consuming, and few college students have money to invest in eco-friendly appliances and solar panels. Many want to make a difference, but don’t know how. We want change, but what can we do? “It’s bad. The U.S. should really make some changes in how we use fossil fuels,” Laura Ekada, a UCC wrestling athlete, said. Worrying about larger issues like climate change can undermine efforts on smaller steps that even busy college students can take to go green. And, reduction of localRead More →

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National Parks Week in April isn’t the only time to go out and explore new places or even visit that old favorite spot in nature. Throughout the year, Oregon`s national parks offer fun activities and opportunities that are often over looked. “I got to go to Crater Lake for National Park week; it was free entry and was a beautiful hike. I think everyone should get out and enjoy our National Parks whenever they get the chance,” Madalyn Pickett, a UCC dual enrollment student, said. Crater Lake is one favorite spot all year with more to do than meets the eye. Facts about Crater Lake:Read More →

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In: Environmental

Glade, Air Wick, Spot Shot, Spic and Span Multi-Surface and Floor Cleaner, Ajax, Dynamo and Fab Ultra Liquid Laundry Detergents are common household products that have been listed on the “Cleaners Hall of Shame” by The Environmental Working Group. In a study conducted in 2012, these products were found to be the most harmful household products. These are not the only problematic cleaning products. Many cleaning supplies can cause some terrible symptoms over time such as coughing, sneezing, skin rashes and even headaches. Many cleaning supplies have a warning on the bottle of what can happen if the use of these products are prolonged. ARead More →

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As the days get warmer and summer gets closer, everyone has an itch to get outside and enjoy the beautiful weather, but staying safe in the rushing rivers and hot sun should still be a priority, according to health authorities. The rivers in the area are not warm enough to swim in yet. “Air temperatures may feel hot, and the water may feel or appear warm, but temperatures can be extremely cold below the surface. Hypothermia can quickly set in and overwhelm even the strongest of swimmers, becoming too weak to escape,” Recreation.gov states. Rivers can be some of the most dangerous places to visitRead More →

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In: Environmental

Douglas County’s bucks have shed their antlers this year, and most, if not all of the elk bulls have done the same. The process of finding shed antlers usually takes a lot of time and hiking distance, but the prospect of fresh sheds keeps some antler enthusiasts obsessed with sheds for months on end. Learning how to find cervid headgear can be difficult, but by applying a few of the right techniques, shed hunting can be more productive. Shed hunters often lead their inexperienced partners right over a shed while peering through binoculars or scouting rub spots. Carefully observing the ground is more important thanRead More →

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In: Environmental

With the hope of warmer weather comes the threat of wildfires. At the front of fire prevention and protection for the majority of Douglas County is the Douglas Forest Protective Agency, DFPA. The DFPA “provides fire protection for 1.6 million acres of public, private, county, state, Bureau of Land Management, or BLM and Bureau of Indian Affairs Lands,” according to DFPA Fire Prevention Specialist, Kyle Reed. Charts detailing fire data provided by Reed show that in 2017 the county endured a total of 100 fires, 80 of them were human caused. Out of the 1.6 million acres DFPA protects, humans caused 16,570 acres to burnRead More →

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Cindy Haws’s Biology class traveled to the Lower Cow Creek Watershed area near Riddle Friday, March 2 to view the impact of the logged landscape and the use of variable retention regeneration harvesting at the 2015 and 2017 Douglas Complex and Horse Prairie fire locations. The purpose of the trip was to analyze the Bureau of Land Management’s oversight of the lands. The field trip lab taught that variable retention regeneration harvesting is a timber harvest method that retains structures, organisms and conditions from the pre-harvest stand for incorporation into the post-harvest ecosystem with the goal of establishing complex early-seral forest conditions through the regenerationRead More →

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The UCC Forestry Club, reinstated this year, is attracting a wide group of active club members and volunteers. “We have a diverse thought process across the board. We’re not just a bunch of people wanting to go into forest harvest and things like that, but we have those natural resource students also. Those ideas are important to hear,” said first-year forestry major Travis Smith. The UCC Forestry Club provides an opportunity to raise public support and awareness for Douglas County’s forestry employment opportunities and its natural resources. The club has operated to date without any funding, according to Forestry Club President Wade Christensen. Weekly meetingsRead More →

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In: Environmental

This past winter has been noticeably warm. According to the AccuWeather website, December recorded a high of 63℉ with a low of only 30℉. In January, the high was a comfortable 71℉ with a low of 36℉. It was only below freezing 15 times in the past three months. The Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Oregon Department of Forestry have a season climate forecast for the months of March to May. La Niña conditions are being observed which will “increase the chances for cool temperatures and some recovery of mountain snowpacks, which are currently well-below average.” Roseburg sits in a valley which seldom getsRead More →